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Harkin to tie stem cell research to spending bill |
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By Mike Soraghan
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Posted: 06/15/07 07:10 PM [ET] |
Supporters of stem cell research refuse to give up on getting their legislation signed into law this year.
As President Bush prepares to veto the measure Congress sent him last week, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) is planning to attach the pro-research legislation to the spending bill being crafted by his Appropriations labor subcommittee.
That raises the stakes on the so-called “Labor-H” spending bill. House Appropriations Chairman Dave Obey (D-Wis.) has been trying to build a veto-proof majority for the bill, adding sweeteners to the bill such as an increase in abstinence-only education.
Bush already has threatened to veto spending bills that exceed his spending thresholds. Including legislation that repeals Bush’s 2001 stem cell research compromise could give him further incentive to nix the bill.
“We would be very disappointed if the president were to veto an appropriations bills that has important … education programs to make a statement about research that millions of Americans support,” Harkin spokeswoman Jennifer Mullin said. “But that’s the president’s prerogative.”
It’s part of a strategy by stem cell research supporters to keep the pressure on Bush by adding their legislation to “must-pass” bills.
“We are absolutely committed to making this law,” said Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), a leader on stem cell issues in the House. “Republican leaders would just as soon this go away, but we’re not going to go away.”
The House voted 247-176 last week to send the stem cell legislation to Bush for an all-but-certain veto. The bill would lift some funding restrictions the president put in place in August 2001: For example, it would allow research funding on stem cells from surplus embryos discarded by fertility clinics.
DeGette said that when absences are taken into account, supporters gained two votes over the 253-174 vote on an earlier stem cell bill in January. That means that a stand-alone stem cell bill would be 30 votes shy of what would be needed to override a presidential veto.
The Senate passed the bill in April on a 63-34 vote, with three senators absent.
Because the death of opponent Sen. Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.) leaves the Senate with only 99 members, the upper chamber could override the veto. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has said he will not take advantage of the vacancy to do so.
Bush is expected to veto the stand-alone bill June 18, according to a congressional source.
Opponents of embryonic stem cell research say it is similar to abortion because human embryos are destroyed.
Supporters say the research promises treatments for disabling conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.
Stem cell research enjoys strong support in polls, and Democrats have said they will seek to punish Republicans who oppose it at the ballot box.
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